Anti-Trans bills dying in district courts
During the wave of state bans on gender-affirming medical care for Trans youth, US district court judges have struck down six of them on grounds that they infringe on equal protection under the 14th Amendment. Twenty states in total have passed such anti-Trans measures.

"It's quite noteworthy that the results in these cases have so far been so consistent," said Tobias Wolff, a University of Pennsylvania law professor. "And it's not because the law in this area was such a slam dunk. It's because the facts are so clearly against these laws."

Lambda Legal's executive director, Kevin Jennings, seemed to agree. "The courts are starting to find very consistently that these laws are ridiculous. They violate the Equal Protection Clause, they're motivated by animus not science, and they serve no state interest."

Even judges appointed by former President Donald Trump have deemed gender-affirming care medically necessary for Trans youth.

"Courts are really taking time to understand and recognize the humanity of the families and children impacted by these bans," said the Human Rights Campaign' litigation director, Cynthia Cheng-Wun Weaver.

North Carolina vetoes unlikely to stick
Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed three more bills passed by the North Carolina Senate. The bills would ban gender-affirming health care for minors, restrict Trans students' participation in school sports, and limit classroom discussion about identity and sexuality.

The Republican supermajority in both houses of the state legislature means the vetoes are shaky, however.

North Carolina has avoided LGBTQ issues since the 2016 "bathroom bill" cost the state millions in lost business. Cooper warned that anti-Trans bills could have similar repercussions.

Cooper also said, "Parents are the most essential educators for their children and their involvement must be encouraged, but this bill will scare teachers into silence by injecting fear and uncertainty into classrooms."

Earlier this year, some North Carolina teachers said they would protest any bills that would make schools unsafe places for LGBTQ students.

"By trying to tie my hands on that, it means that I won't be able to have a voice for the kids who need an adult to speak up for them the loudest," said art teacher Gretchen Phillips. "My job is to be there for them as they're figuring out who they are, and if I can't be that for them and support them as they are, then I can't even begin to teach them."